Europe has vast areas of great natural beauty and wildlife, but relatively little of it has been protected by national park designation. Today, with environmental pressures mounting and outdoor recreation on the rise, there is a great need to protect the natural environment while providing human access to these areas.

In Italy, Battelle has designed and developed several plans for national and regional parks which seek to protect and preserve Italy’s natural resources and landscapes while promoting economic growth and use of the land.

Several years ago, Battelle together with other Italian organizations examined the stretch of mountains between the regions of Umbria and Marche, located in the center of Italy, for the creation of regional parks. In reviewing the area, the team’s priority was to establish a balance between protection and utilization of the natural land, while ensuring economic stability and sustainability to the regions.

Economic factors considered by the Battelle team were jobs for local residents, incentives for the young not to emigrate, the creation of tourist facilities, and implementing tour guide programs to archaeological and nature sites. After calculations involving visitor frequencies and park admission fees proved the projects to be economically beneficial and feasible, environ-mental resources were evaluated. Battelle developed a list of areas to protect, values to preserve, and activities to prohibit or limit. Battelle’s plan offered the local population opportunities and prospects instead of bans, restrictions, and charges for the land use. The project resulted in a string of regional parks and provided a solid model for Italy, and for Europe, for balancing man and nature.

Building on this experience, Battelle has since provided research and development for a number of habitat and nature protection plans in Italy. The most recent projects have been conducted in connection with two initiatives in Sardinia. The island of Asinara, located off the northwest corner of Sardinia, was declared a National Park in 1997. Asinara’s vast sea grass (Posidonia oceanica) meadows and intricate subaquatic plant community were among the many precious micro-environmental features identified by Battelle for preservation.

The archipelago of La Maddalena also received protection as a national park. In the waters surrounding the chain of islands, calcareous red algae (Lithophyllum lichenoides) build spectacular subaquatic coastal formations and gorgonia species produce expansive coral habitats. However, oil tankers travelling the Strait of Bonifacio, urban effluent, substantial tourism, and sizeable navy bases make protecting the natural resources a real challenge. Battelle prepared scoping studies and conducted pollution surveys of the waters. Currently, Battelle is developing ideas for added protection such as:

• Installation of floating moorings for pleasure boats.
• Limitation and channelling of tourist traffic.
• Guides for nature exploration above and below the water line.

Battelle continually develops plans and conducts research for environmental sustainability.

For more information please contact Augusto Porta at 41-22-827 2650, via e-mail at portaa@battelle.org, or Klaus Müller at 41-22-827 2302, via e-mail at muellerk@battelle.org.

Environment Home Page

Summer 2000 Issue Home Page